A Whole New World
by TimeToBegin
Summary: This is my first try writting fanfic so please spare me. It's my own original Harry Potter fanfiction: set in hogwarts with original characters and a few cannon characters. The story follows Abigail Sundays as she tries to find her place in Hogwarts learning about magic for the first time. (I will start with K as it starts with an eleven year old child)
1. The Incident

Do you ever feel like breaking down?  
Do you ever feel out of place?  
Like somehow you just don't belong  
And no one understands you

- Simpple Plan

Abigail looked at herself in the mirror while Jane, her maid, brushed her bronze wavy hair. It was the first day of school after easter again and she was getting nervous. She was already ten but she still dreaded school, she hated everyone there. Not because she was alone, because well, she was way better than all of them together and didn't need their company but because of their stares and annoying behaviour.

"Jane..." She started timidly, not knowing very well how to ask, "Do I really need to go to school?"

"Of course, darling. You know, going to school is very important, you need to learn things." Jane was a young woman, in her early twenties; she had dark brown hair normally brushed back into a bun and soft, warm, blue eyes.

Abigail bit her lip and looked at the floor, "Will Mom and Dad take me this time?" At the lack of response she sighed and looked into Jane's eyes through the mirror. "I really don't care, will you take me?", she said with a tiny smile.

Jane just smiled back and hugged her while kissing the top of her head, "Don't I always?"

Soon they were at the door of the school and Jane was already saying goodbye, but not before making sure she knew she had spaguetti for lunch, that she was warm enough for the cold british air and telling her she would be there at four, when the classes ended.

When Abigail was left alone in front of the gates the only thing she could do was look at the frame of Jane get farer and farer. She wanted to tell her to stay with her and to hug her and kiss her again but she wouldn't do that here, not with so many people who could see her vulnerable side. Abigail was already in Junior school and she knew that she had to be a big girl, that it wouln't be drawing and doing easy things anymore, but what she was dreading the most was the people. The school wasn't bad but the uniform was quite dreadful. Dark brown skirt and beish jumper, it reminded her of autumn: a season she dreaded as it was the beginning of school. She prefered summer where she could pass the time in her swimming pool or going for walks with Jane.

She turned around and stared at the gate of the school: it was tall and menacing and the more she looked at it the more it reminded her of the gate of a haunted mansion or of a castle. She was about to go away running when a boy a bit taller than her but that didn't look much older than her blocked her way.

"Your mother is pretty young, and why do you call her Jane? Aren't you supposed to call her mum?" Abigail was about to tell him to mind his own business and that he shouldn't listen to others' conversations but she thought better about it. She didn't want to make the last term more difficult than it already was.

"She's not my mum. She is... my nanny" She had learned that having a maid wasn't very common and that it could be something people made fun of you because of that.

"Why don't your parents take you? My Mummy says that she would never miss one of my first-days of school as they're very important."

At the mention of her parents she put her chin up and turned her head. "They're working. Now get out of my way, I can't waste my time with simple-minded people." She went off walking through the gates as fast as possible, but not fast enough to miss the huff and the 'idiot' yelled by the boy who she didn't even know the name of.

The rest of the day had gone too slowly for her likings. She had spent every lesson receiving glares or pitiful looks, and all she wanted to do was hit every one of them in the face. She was tired of the looks she recieved since she had started the year so after the looks started again she decided to ignore all of them, except to tell some of them to find something to do with their lives. At the beginning of the year she had been more vocal about her feelings but after the first strange incident she had decided to ignore all of them. It had happened on the second month of school while everyone was bugging her with questions and throwing paper balls at her. She had been irritated by Noelia -a very talkative girl who thought she was always right- who was telling her about the importance of a balanced family life and finally Abigail had snapped and told her to hold her tongue. She hadn't predicted that that would be exactly what would happen. Noelia took her tongue between her fingers and started yelling and crying. When the teacher came and saw Abigail trying to make Noelia loosen her hold on her tongue Abigail had been forced to stay after class for a very exasperating 'Hands To Yourself' talk.

It was already the end of the day and she was waiting outside the main entrance when Julius, the overweight bully of the school, came out and saw her.

"Well, is the orphan waiting for her baby-sitter to pick her up? Or are you waiting for the parents that'll never come?" The rest of Julius' group laughed at his 'funny' comment and Julius smirked triumphally.

"Why don't you go and eat some hamburgers you hideous elephant" She said while looking at her nails nonchalantly.

He turned and glared at her, his plumpy cheeks getting red with fury. He got closer to her and grabbed her by the school jumper.

"What did you call me? You don't mean that, you wouldn't be that stupid," he chuckled and got closer.

Abigail, already fed up after the long day, pushed away his hand and glared at him while saying spitefully "Although I feel honored by your compliment, what I mean by that is that you should do us all a favour and punch yourself in the face. Maybe that way it will be less painful for the rest of us."

Julius' face got even redder and his eyes looked bloodshot. He lifted his fist in her direction and she silently prayed that he would punch his own face. And once again she found herself looking dumbfounded as he hit his face with his fist.

At the sound of his screech two teachers came to the origin of the noise and found a nose-bleeding Julius. Without a stutter all of Julius' friends pointed at Abigail and told the teachers that it had been her. She didn't know what to say as she wasn't sure anymore if it wasn't her fault.

-Dreamsarewhatwemakethem-

"I can't believe you punched someone in the face, Abby. What happened?" Jane asked sending her worried looks while keeping an eye on the road.

"I told you already and I told the teacher too: He hit himself in the face! It's not my fault he's imbecile!"

"Of course. He hit himself, right? Please Abby, don't be ridiculous!" Abby looked at her, exasperated and hurt, as Jane pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You have to believe me. I didn't do it, or at least not consciously. I only told him to do it and it seems that sometimes when I tell someone to do something, they just do it." She looked at her hands which were now fiddling with her skirt. She knew she sounded ridiculous but she didn't know how else to say it. "Don't tell Mother, please."

Jane's expression softened at that and she looked at her warmly again, lowering her voice, "Honey, they already know. She told me to pick you up and to talk to you. I think she's upset you made her look bad." She muttered the last words with a frown as if it hurt her to say them. She then glanced at Abigail again and hold her hands with her free one, squeezing to tell her not to worry. They didn't say anything for the rest of the ride and Abby was torn between being nervous at her mother's anger or happy that she would be able to see her.

Abigail was standing in front of the closed door of the living room. Her mother wanted to talk to her but she wasn't sure it was now. She hated to interrupt her, especially when she was working or with guests, which was most of the time. Abigail took a deep breath and knocked before carefully entering the room.

"Mother, you wanted to see me?" She said in a calm and low voice. Her mother turned around from her place on her chair looking at Abigail with surprise.

"Abigail, you're back. I heard what happened at school and I'm very upset" she then waited to here her daughter's apology before continuing, "you know, I had to apologize to that boy's parents. It was so embarrassing; I can't believe you put your father and me in that situation. We'll talk about your punishment later but for now just go to your room without supper." She then looked at Abigail expecting some kind of sign that she had understood. Abigail just nodded and excused herself politely out of the room. She closed the door and went running to her room as she felt tears prickle in her eyes.

She wasn't irritated like she had been at Jane or at her teacher when they had scolded her but she felt hurt at her mother's unattached words. She hadn't even bothered to ask why her daughter had used violence against another person but was just upset that she had made her look bad.

She threw herself in the bed and felt silent tears fall down her cheeks while she bit her lip, suppressing a sob. She was mad at Julius for being a jerk, at the teacher for never telling off the bully, at Jane for not believing her, at her mother for not caring and at herself for having a stupid 'power' which made her do things that she couldn't explain.

And as she silently cried herself to sleep, Abigail wished to be taken away from her house to a better place. Somewhere with people like her. What she didn't know was that in just a few months she would get a letter which would make her wish come true.


	2. The Night Before

Because these things will change, can you feel it now?  
-Taylor Swift

Abby stared dumbfounded as water dripped down her face and soaked her new blue shirt. She looked up to see one of Julius' friends which she hadn't even bothered to remember the name of.

"Wow, I'm sorry. I tripped," he gave a fake apologetic smile. She could hear the snickering from other tables, some of Julius' friends right out laughing and some kinder people looked at her sympathetically. Abby felt as anger raised through her and she could feel her cheeks burning with rage. She couldn't take anymore, not another day with those pig heads making fun of her, not another hour of people who looked at her and turned away thinking that she deserved it for shouting back -as if anyone in the room knew a single thing about her- and specially not another minute of sympathetic looks who couldn't care enough to do anything about it.

More than a month had passed since the Julius incident and that month had gone by in the same routine. At the beginning Abby had thought that people would forget about it and even thought that some would come to her side and be her friend. Hell, a companion in this eternal suffering was enough for her. Neither of those thongs had happened. People still looked at her like a freak and not one had offered to keep her company. She was already ten (in six months eleven, mind you), and even though she didn't like the concept of being alone it wasn't a totally new situation for her (which didn't make the situation any less dreadful).

She flicked her eyes at Julius and was satisfied when she saw a flicker of fear in his carbon eyes.

She looked at the boy with abhorrence, looking at his stupid smirk that showed disgusting teeth; at his cheap blue jumper and hideous freckled face.

Before she knew it she was grabbing him forcefully by the stupid boy's shirt and pushed him, making him tumble against the other boys. He looked at her with fear,

"What do you think you're doing you repugnant worm?" she hissed with the most malice she could muster. She then smiled at him with a sneer, "well, I couldn't expect anything more from a low-life like you. How is your mother, by the way? Still hanging at clubs? And your father, I heard he's hitting the bottle even more often these days". She raised her eyebrows in surprise as she assimilated what she had just said. How had she known any of that? She didn't know even the boy's name, even less his parents' life. She looked at him, desperate to have been wrong and see confusion in his face. But the only think he could see in the simpleton's features was embarrassment and hurt. Abby felt guilt rise in her system, a feeling she didn't feel very often, eating her as she took in the boy's affliction. She felt the apology burning in her throat but wasn't able to formulate the words. Instead she just turned around, determined to finish her lunch.

"Well, at least my parents love me" Abby turned around quickly, stung by those words. She gulped in the pain and was about to turn around again and go to her solitary table when the boy's next words came out. "You don't have even friends. It seems the only affection you can get is by paying for it. I bet she actually despises you, that baseborn scum".

The last thing she was aware of was of the noise of cracking bones and a sharp pain in her knuckles.

-Dreamsarewhatwemakethem-

_You're in Junior high,_she thought to herself while sitting on the swing. She felt her eyes sting with unshed tears so she bit her lip and crasped her hold on the swing chain. Her knuckles whitened with the force and her lip was starting to swell. _You can't cry Abby, Sundays don't cry. Don't let them get to you, you're nearly eleven... Don't let yourself cry you pathetic creature!_She repeated over and over again but her body didn't seem to care about her pride and dignity as rivers of tears started to fall down her cheeks and a chocked sob escaped from her sore throat.

She bit her lip, determined that if she had to cry she would do it in a dignified way so she ended up sobbing silently while tears continued to cascade.

When she found herself steady enough to not make a fool of herself and trusted that her eyes weren't bloodshot anymore it was already nearing dark. 'About six' she decided. Abby stood up and felt her knees wobble at the several hours of lack of movement. She then remembered Jane, was she looking for her right now? Were her parents looking for her? She felt a flash of contentment when she thought of that and started heading home. The park was a bit of a long way from home, maybe half an hour walking, but she knew how to get back. It wasn't the first time she run to be alone. Normally Abby would go to their swimming pool where she would feel all the stress wash away from her body but Jane could find her if she wanted to so when she wanted to be left alone, which happened a lot she would go to this deserted park.

Abigail was walking down the street to her house when she heard her name being called out in a desperately broken way. She turned around rapidly, unsettled by the voice, and when she faced the other way she was immersed in a bone breaking hug which she immediately recognized as Jane's.

"You naughty child! You nearly gave me a heart attack. Your mother received a call from the school and you didn't come directly home. I was so worried," she rambled while checking that nothing had injured her.

"I was in the park, I needed some alone time," Abby looked at her shoes and then up again, hoping to be forgiven. Jane sighed and started walking towards the house.

"Your mother will want to see you, let's go" Abigail followed her into the house and when they entered they were welcomed by the cooks and the cleaners, asking if everything was okay and saying how glad they were they had found Abby.

Too soon for her liking Jane knocked on the door of the living room and opened it, presented Abigail. She rolled her eyes at the old-fashioned manner her parents had to call their daughter in. Abby noticed surprised that her father was there, sitting on an armchair reading his newspaper. Her father looked up at Abby before continuing his reading.

Immediately after Jane left the room, and too fast for Abby to react a hand flashed and crossed her face. Abigail looked astonished at her mother who was carmine red.

"How could you do this to me?! Do you know the embarrassment I had to suffer when I had to talk to that boy's parents? I had to explain your behavior to them; it looked like I was the problem! You made me look like a fool, as if I don't know how to raise a child!" Abigail bit her tongue in order not to shout at her '_It wasn't you who raised me'_ she just clenched her fists, she didn't even bother to ask _why_ she was acting that way in the first place. She stared at her mother as she started to sob and sat down in her own armchair with disgust.

At that moment Abigail's father decided to intervene:

"Darling, Harmony, calm down. What is she... thirteen already? She's old enough to know what she's doing." At that her father smiled at her reassuringly before restarting his reading.

"She's ten, Alfred! And she hit someone in the face! It made me look like a bad mother," she said while drying her cheeks with a handkerchief. "How will I be able to be seen in public again? Surely everyone knows about this incident already! It's the second time in three months I had to apologise to a parent on her behalf! It's ludicrous and undignified!" She resumed her sobbing in a much undignified way which Abigail thought was quite ironic.

Alfred sighed and folded his newspaper:

"Harmony, she's just messing around like a normal kid. Nothing's wrong with her, she's just having fun with her friends. She's in her rebellious stage, we've all gone through that." He winked at Abigail and she honestly didn't know what she found more dreadful: The fact that her mother only cared about how people saw her or the fact that her father didn't really care at all.

The cheeks of Abigail's mother turned red again and her eyes became fierce as she renewed her screaming, "She doesn't have any friends, and now she's going to leave ME with none!"

At that moment Abigail decided she couldn't stay in the room any longer or she would lose control of her tongue and body.

"Mother, father. If that's all I'll go to my bedroom" with that, she turned around with clenched fists and tightened jaw. As she left the room the last thing she heard was her mother shouting that she was going to bed without supper.

Abby ran up the stairs to her room and jumped on her bed. She grabbed her pillow and put it over her face, screaming as loud as she could. After she calmed down and all the nerves had faded away, she got ready for bed and tucked herself in determined to forget. Just as she was closing her eyes she heard her stomach grumble, reminding her she hadn't eaten anything since eleven that morning. Like if she could read minds, at that moment, Jane knocked and entered the room with a hot chocolate.

"I brought you warm chocolate; I thought you'd be hungry. You know, your parents do love you even if they don't act as if they did" with that Abigail felt anger run through her veins and before she could stop herself venom escaped her tongue.

"Just leave me alone! I don't want your hot chocolate, and I don't need you either. Just leave me alone already." As the words left her mouth she felt the same lump in her throat she had felt that morning when she said those dreadful things to Julius' friend and once again she wasn't able to utter an apology. Instead she just turned around and closed her eyes. "_Two times in a day, this is not good, Abby"_

Jane left the hot chocolate in Abby's bedside table and left the room with a low goodnight.

Before drifting to sleep Abby repeated four words over and over '_Take me somewhere better'._

That night was June 30th and just at the precise moment Abigail left the conscious world, a witch got ready to sweep the skies with a very important letter.


	3. The Day The Scales Fell From Her Eyes

It's time to begin, isn't it?  
-Imagine Dragons

Abby was woken up by Jane coming into her room telling her that there was a woman who wanted to see her. Abby furrowed her brow, confused. She didn't expect anyone to come to see her, if it was her aunt Jane would have announced her like that. Maybe it was that boy's mother, angry at her for hurting his son.

Jane said the woman was very weird; she wore a strange hat which Jane could only describe as that of a witch and wore a maroon dress.

Abigail ended up even more confused and quickly dressed with nice clothes, prepared to make a good impression if it was the boy's mother. '_Jane must be exaggerating. Mother wouldn't have allowed someone dressed like that into the house_'.

She straightened her skirt and knocked on the door of the living room where she had been directed to go.

When she heard the 'come in' she opened the door and found out that indeed, Jane hadn't been exaggerating. Abby would have said she had even understated the appearance of the strange woman.

"You must be Abigail, I suppose?" The woman was smiling and Abigail noticed amused that she had a Scottish accent, which she always found extremely funny.

"Yes, that's my daughter" her mother answered on her behalf, earning an unimpressed look. Then her mother directed her attention to Abby, "This lady, Gabrielle Burbage, has come to talk to us. She said that it is very important. So sit down, don't be rude."

Abigail did as told and sat down in the sofa beside her mother, in front of the odd woman.

"Well then. You have heard, I presume, of witches and wizards; either in movies or in books." The woman waited for clarification and both Abby and her mother nodded in synchronisation.

"Well, it's true. Witches and wizards I mean, not the legends of witches being evil and making potions for Macbeth. Though we do make potions... What I mean is that we do exist; I am one for starters, and you my dear," she said looking directly into Abby's eyes, making her shiver "are one too."

Her mother looked at her strangely and as if she had been insulted. "Well, that's absurd. Witches and wizards most definitely do not exist. If this is your idea of a joke, I suggest you leave my house this very second." The woman looked at Abigail's mother as if she was expecting that reaction, which Abigail reflected, she probably did.

The woman ignored Abigail's mother and instead concentrated on Abby, "Have you ever noticed weird things happening? When you're sad or angry. Things that you can't explain?" Abby's eyes widened and the woman -witch? - looked at her, a smile appearing on her thin lips, as if she had found what she was looking for. "I'll take that as a yes. I've come here to inform you that you have been accepted into 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There you will learn how to use magic and other aspect of the wizarding world. I will take you there and help you with everything you need."

Abby stared completely shocked at the woman in front of her, just like her mother.

Abby and her mother were explained everything they needed to know and after some incredulous rage outs from her mother and proof of magic, Abigail was told to go to her room and start making her suitcase while Gabrielle (Professor Burbage) reassured her mother. _"Don't worry about not taking everything in your wardrobe. Take everything you need and we can send you more of your possessions throughout the year"._

With that Abby run to the kitchen and called for Jane, telling her to accompany her to her room.

Once there, Abby told her everything at which Jane only gaped, and all the while starting taking clothing out of her wardrobe.

"We need to go to buy my school material first fo course. The woman -Professor Burbage, she said I should call her- will take me to Diagonal Alley or something of the sort to buy my stuff. It's in the wizarding world, Jane! Will you come with me? She said I could take someone to go with me until the station." Jane looked moved by her words and excited for her too. Abby had always had the feeling she was more like a big sister to her than a mother figure.

"But don't you prefer your mother or your father to come with you?"

"Nonsense!" Abby declared with a frown, "they have never been there for me when I needed them and I prefer to experience this with you, Jane. I want _you_ to come with me, please."

Jane simply smiled and hugged her with all her might while Abby ordered her to let her go as she was 'breaking my bones, you mad woman'.

Together they made her suitcase between laughter and guesses of what it would be like.

-Dreamsarewhatwemakethem-

Following Professor Burbage as she strutted down the street, explaining things which they weren't even listening to, they soon arrived to a street full of different shops. Abby had to stop in her tracks to gawk at the number of shops full of weird stuff she hadn't even dreamed of seeing.

"This must be Diagon Alley" she muttered, so low as she the sight before her was so breathtaking. The people in the streets were bustling talking about things she had never heard before: 'dragon scales', 'qudditch' and 'moon globe'. They were dressed very peculiarly, some with long robes other with strange hats which Abby thought resembled the ones from movie witches.

Soon she was shaken from her awe by Jane who was also staring with her mouth open but soon she too was woken up by their guide as she cleaned her throat and starting reading the list of material they needed.

"Umm... Jane and I will look for my things on our own, if you don't mind. We can meet here later," Abby ventured. Burbage just stared at hr for a few seconds as if a bit offended and gave them the list and told them where they should go to buy each requirement.

They decided to start with her school robes so they went looking for the shop they had been indicated Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

The shop was quite big, full of robes in different colour and sizes. They went from a tiny dark robe which made Abby smile to an incredibly large green robe (which she thought actually looked like ugly dresses).

Soon a slightly plump woman came towards them with a large smile on her face. She wore a lovely purple dress and around her neck had a measuring tape. If it wasn't for the strange clothing in the shop, Abby would have thought she was in a regular dressmaker shop.

"Are you going to Hogwarts, dear?" She asked with a sweet voice. Abby reddened at the sweetness directed at her and simply nodded. At that she was directed to stand on a stool while the women, who Abby supposed was Madam Malkin, started putting robes on her and taking measurements. Jane looked at her with an amused smile, probably as confused by the clothing as Abby was. It wasn't that they were ugly, it was more that they were simple and dark, something that Abby wasn't used to wearing, instead choosing colourful and high class clothes.

The woman started talking about her life and things Abby didn't understand at all but she just nodded and made noises of understanding, trying to be as polite as she could with Jane looking at her while chuckling.

After some time the woman pat her leg and smiling said she was done. At that Abby jumped from the stool and went towards Jane elbowing her as she walked passed, not amused at her laughing.

Abby and Jane went from shop to shop and bought all her books, which Abby looked at unconvinced and confused, and the materials required.

"Okay, we just need a pet and a wand. Here: I suppose that you buy your pets in Eeylops Owl Emporium right. It was this shop that witch indicated right?" Jane looked at the list and at the shop doubtfully but after looking into the window they knew they had found the correct shop as it showed many different kinds of owls and cats. In the shop, there were only two people: a middle-aged man who Abby guessed was the shop keeper and a tall boy who Abby supposed was about her age. Ha had pitch black hair an was immersed in thought looking at the owls.

Abby got closer to the animals and looked at the deciding which one would be better for her. After a minute of looking at the owls she felt as if she was being stared at and quickly turned around finding the boy's grey eyes staring at her green ones.

"What?" She dead panned hoping the message of 'stop staring at me, you creep' was coming through.

The boy's lips quirked into a smirk an turned around turning his attention back to the owls. Abby rolled her eyes and walked towards the cat section, determined to not get close to the annoying creepy guy any longer. When she got there she stopped immediately as she saw a ginger cat. The cat reminded her of Jane. She had a brownish/ginger fur and warm hazel eyes just like her and as she looked at the cat she felt the same way she felt when she was close to Jane: warmth and safety.

Abby new she was gaping at the cat, and like she needed reminding that she probably looked stupid she felt again that she was being stared at. She turned again and saw the same boy, this time closer to her, looking at her with an amused quizzical look.

Frustrated, Abby sighed and gave him her best bitch glare.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." She waited for the guy to turn his eyes away from her but surprisingly he wasn't intimidated and just continued staring at her with his amused smile getting bigger. "Don't you get it, feak? Stop staring!"

"You don't look like the type to get a cat, that's all. Specially one that gives so much attention and care," the boy started looking at her.

Abby felt her cheeks redden and narrowed her eyes at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Just that you seem, and probably want to look, fierce and independent but actually you want to be taken care of. I was trying to figure you out, that's all."

She felt her cheeks redden even more and told him how wrong he was and where he could put his thoughts. The boy just smiled and turned around telling the shopkeeper that he wanted to take an owl. _Clever,_ Abby thought but would have died before saying that out loud.

Abby continued to glare at the boy as he exited the shop, and just before he closed the door he grinned and said "I'm Avery by the way," he winked and left the shop. Abby was left dumbfounded with anger rising through her cheeks and a snickering Jane who got an elbow in her ribs.

"Are you sure it's here?" Abby asked Jane, as she scrunched her nose with distaste at the room full of dust. Jane nodded staring at the shop, just as blankly as Abby.

Abby wondered through the hallways full of boxes and dust while Jane went to the reception desk and waited to be attended.

Abby passed her finger across the side of the boxes as she walked until she felt a sudden magnetizing pull and stopped. She looked around her and not seeing anyone put her hands around the box, feeling the same breathtaking pull.

"Looking for a wand, little girl?" Abby nearly screeched but instead just jumped away from the wands, startled. "So?" The old man asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We-well, of-of course. That's why I'm here," Abby stuttered in an unladylike way.

"Yes, yes, obviously..." he then turned to the stack of wands and wiggled his fingers around the boxes. He gave Abigail a calculating look and then decided to get the box she had been about to take before. "Shall we start with this one, then?"

They went to the reception and he opened the box which smelled of dust and rot. It was a beautiful wand, Abby thought, with gorgeous markings and a slightly crooked shape.

The man gave her the wand delicately and Abby took it in the same manner. As soon as she had it between her hands she felt happy and complete, as if a weight had been taken from her shoulders. She looked at the man, who was staring at her expectantly.

"I like this one. I think I'll take it," at that the man started laughing as if Abby had said something funny. Abigail frowned, not fond of people laughing at her.

"Little witch, it's the wand who chooses the witch or wizard not the wizard who chooses the wand," Abby looked at him confused. Was he saying her wand was alive? "Well, flick it!"

Hesitantly she did as told and flicked it. When she did she felt a wave of electric shock go from her chest through her arm and out the wand (she supposed) a light sprung through it and Abby sighed in contentment.

"Yes. This is your wand. Eleven and a half inches, Rowan wood and Dragon core. We've got a great witch here I would say." he winked at her and she beamed, looking at Jane afterwards who was looking at them shocked, still not believing that she was, in fact, buying a wand for a witch.

Abby and Jane bought the wand and went to the meeting point where Burbage was waiting with all they needed.

"You've bought everything, I see. Well then we should go and get the train before it gets too late. It's in Kings Cross, in Platform 9 3/4." She deadpanned, changing their direction and walking away.

Abby stopped in her tracks extremely confused.

"But Professor, there is no Platform 9 3/4. I'm sure of that." Burbage just grinned in response.


	4. The Welcome

Keep Holding On

- Avril Lavigne

Professor Burbage left them in front of the train, leaving them so they were able to say goodbye properly.

The train station of 9 3/4 was filled with the noise of thousands of families saying goodbye and the noise of the train starting. Abby looked at all the families with their own trollies packed with their cases, pets and other required material. Some of the boys and girls even brought broomsticks. She looked at them curiously. Where they going to learn how to fly? _Well, obviously. We _are _witches afterall._ Abby thought while rolling her eyes at her own extent.

"Abby, did we really just run through a wall? Because I think we did but that's not really possible right?" Jane was white as a sheet with her eyes open wide looking at nowhere. That's when Abby noticed she hadn't said anything since they'd gone through the wall.

"Really Jane? You've found out I'm a witch, they sent a witch to fetch us, we even bought a wand! And know it kicks in?" She shook her head unbelievingly, even though she too was a but shocked about all this. Even if she was shocked she wasn't going to say no to an opportunity to leave her terrible town.

"Careful!" Abby heard someone call in her direction and quickly turned around not sure what she was going to find. She felt a sense of dread as she remembered all the times someone had called to her like that and she had recieved a ball in her face or, like the time before, a glass of water.

Instead she saw a ball a bit bigger than a fist flying towards her at an incredibly fast rate. Abby closed her eyes readying herself for the collision but after a few seconds no pain came and she slowly opened her eyes. Looking at her was a boy a few inches taller than her with dirty blond hair and warm brown eyes. She then noticed that he was holding the ball.

"Don't worry I catched it!" he said smiling from ear to ear. "I was playing pocket-quidditch, practicing as a seeker. My stepfather says I could get in the team next year," He continued to ramble on about that game while Abby just stared at him. It seemed his mouth was a nonstopable machine, he just talked and talked in a manner that assumed that you had to want to listen to him and Abby just wanted to make him stop.

"Stop, please. Can't you quiet down for a second? And what is quidditch anyway? It looks more like you're playing ball." The question appeared to astonish him enough that he just stared at her with his eyes open wide. Abby felt her cheeks redden at his gaping. It felt insulting so Abby automatically raised her eyebrow at him and responded in a harsh annoyed tone: "What? Do I have something on my

face?"

The boy, who she didn't know the name yet of continued ogling at her unattractively. "How don't you know what quidditch is? Are your parents muggles or something?" The boy just looked at her as if she was an alien while she tried to remember what 'muggle' meant. Abby knew Professor Burbage had mentioned it. She scrutinized her mind until she remembered. The term 'Muggle' was what magical people used to refer to non-magical ones; was that... bad?

Even if it _was _bad it wasn't as if she was going to give him the pleasure of seeing her baffled or embarrased of being who she was. That wasn't what her mother had taught her (one of the few things) and she wasn't going to start being ashamed now.

"Yes, my parents are non-magical if that is what you're asking. Is there a problem wih that?" Abby, then, gave the boy the best practiced bitch face she could muster and looked at him as if he was durt, expecting a condescending comment.

Instead the boy just beamed at her and started babbling about how his stepfather was a muggle too and millions of other things. The boy, who in between excited chatter introduced himself as Dylan Blishwick,was very excited about her being muggle-born and insisted in showing her everything she needed to know about the magical world and Hogwarts. Abby only opened her mouth a few times, just enough to show Dylan he had her attention: Abby thought she had learned more about him in a few minutes than she could have of a friend in a few years. Dylan had an older brother and a younger sister; the elder was in Gryffindor and the younger would start studying next year.

Soon, but not soon enough in Abby's opinion, it was time to get inside the train and the train wistled commanding. Abby turned around and looked at Jane, ready to say goodbye. Jane's eyes were prickling with unshed tears, feeling the opposite way to Abby: not ready to let her go.

"Don't worry Jane, I'll write to you as often as I can, though I don't promise much. Everything is going to be fine, it's not like it's my first day in school, it's just my first day in a different school -for magical people-" Abby knew she was talking too much but she couldn't help trying to comfort Jane and probably herself -though she wouldn't say that- from the upcomming departure.

Jane just looked at her with glimmering eyes and hugged her in a bone-crushing embrace. She then mumbled incoherent things on Abby's head while kissing her head at the same time.

Abby felt the dread of the separation as she gathered her belongings and held her cat which she had named Janette. Her eyes stung but she wasn't going to let any tear fall so she quickly started towards the Hogwarts Express. Soon the sadness changed into nerves and excitement. Afterall she was just an eleven year old girl about to start the most exilerating part of her life up until now.

Dylan was like a very bossy puppy and as soon as they got in the train he, quote, '_offer you my splendid company and my grand knowledge' _and went with her without her consent. Abby noticed Dylan liked to be in charge and though he was kind in the way he talked and acted he wanted to order people around so instead of accompanying her, he guided them through the aile until the reached a compartment that was reasonably empty. There was just a girl with black hair reading a book so they decided to go in (well, Dylan decided to go in).

"Hello! Do you mind if we sit with you, the other compartments are all too full," Dylan said as they entered the room, not offering a chance for refusal. The girl said yes, lifting briefly her attention from the book to look at them before proceeding with her reading. "My name's Dylan by the way, and this is Abigail, but I call her Abby." Abby looked at him incredously.

"Only friends call me Abby," actually, only Jane and her father did.

"That's why I call you Abby, duh" he said with a tone that implied it was obvious.

"When did we become friends? When did I agree to that?"

"We became friends when we met, dummy. And you don't agree to that kind of things, they just happen!"

"Well I certainly wasn't iluminated by the knowledge that we were."

Abby felt her cheeks redden at a fast pace even though Dylan didn't seem offended by the remarks but more annoyed by her not agreeing. It wasn't that she didn't want Dylan as a friend, it was more that she hadn't expected or even thought that Dylan would want to be her friend and the prospect of having one so fast scared her.

Abby and Dylan were woken from their trance by the laughter of the girl sitting across from them. Her long striaght hair was now covering her face and her very pale and slightley freckled face was know covered by a slight blush.

"God, you're so weird both of you!" Dylan smiled contently at the comment while Abby looked at her offended. "My name is Lucia Prince by the way, but you two can call me Lucy anyway, since your logic states that we're friends now." Lucy looked at them with an amused smile and her once dull blue eyes were struck by light and happiness.

That seemed to break the ice and all of them laughed and they soon engaged in a conversation which was actually Dylan talking with Abby giving side remarks and Lucy commenting were she deemed appropriate.

"So," Dylan continued after a few minutes of silently eating sweets -Abby couldn't yet believe she had eaten a toilet water flavoured jelly bean. "Which House do you think you will be sorted in? I really don't mind in which one I end up as they're all pretty cool. I'd like to end up in Gryffindor like my brother but he says I'll be sorted into Hufflepuff. I think it'd be nice to be sorted into any of those though, if I make good friends then that's that."

Abby wasn't sure how to answer the question. Dylan had said that there were four houses in Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw but he hadn't detailed much about them and instead talked about how neat the sorting hat was. Instead of talking she let Lucy answer who didn't look very keen on taling either.

"I think you'll definitely fit into Hufflepuff my friend. Well, my older sister was sorted into Ravenclaw, don't ask me why, but I expect to be sorted in that house too. I am, if you let me say, quite good in the academic ways and I really enjoy studying so I'll probably end up there. I am prepared to go there too, as I have already read all of the necessary books plus some of next year from my sister."

The two others were left looking at her as if she had said the most disgusting thing ever.

"You've read them all? I haven't even opened mine yet!" Dylan vociferated both their thoughts.

In return, she looked at them proudly and smirked.

"Well, that's why I will be a Ravenclaw and you two will be Hufflepuffs. So, Abby, where do you think you'll be sorted in?" At that, they both looked at her and she panicked. She didn't know anything about them and was afraid of being seen as an idiot.

"Since I do not know what makes each House different from the other I do not know how to answer that question" she said simply, trying as hard as she could to not lower her gaze timidly.

At Lucy's astonishment, Dylan explained that Abby was a Muggle-born and therefore didn't know anything about how Hogwarts worked.

"Then we can rule out Slytherin for you, girl. I don't think Muggle-borns have ever been sorted in that house; even if they had I don't think they came out alive."

Abby wasn't sure what to make out of that. She still wasn't yet certain how people saw... people like her.

Thankfully, Dylan was there to break through Abby's dim thoughts with an explanation of what exactly each house was (with one or two comments from Lucy).

_Gryffindor is the house of the brave and adventurous. My brother was sorted there. He is kind of adventurous, always been up for mischief but I wouldn't say he's brave at all. _(Lucy seem to deem that his explanation wasn't very accurate for she raised an eyebrow and closed her book which she hadn't closed until now, and added "_They are more like the stupidly impulsive people who, even if they don't say it, think they're better than the rest_)

_Ravenclaws are very intelligent and boring. They love to learn and work. My second cousin Larry was sorted there. He used to read all throughout summer and could recite probably all the poems ever written. He's very nice but kind of a douche. (For you information, Ravenclaws are nothing but intellectual and talented wizards and even if we aren't awarded much, we are the witches and wizards who have given the Magical world most of its useful essence.) You haven't even been sorted yet!_

_Going back to the important stuff, Hufflepuffs are the loyal and hardworking ones, they are also the ones who'll make the best of friends. That's what I think, no matter what my brother says about them. (You can also describe them as the naïve and kind ones. My sister says they'll believe anything, one day..) Shush! She doesn't want to know about your sister!_

_At last, Slytherins. They are the ambitious and conniving ones. They are capable of stabbing you in the back if necessary but I heard that the actually look out for each other. (Don't listen to him, they are pure evil. They only care about Pure-bloods and being the best...)_

At this point Abby was staring at them with the biggest smile she could ever remember having until now. The image of these people (friends?) quarrelling about trivial stuff was definitely amusing, and seeing Dylan standing up and defending his position as leader while Lucy, who had recommenced her reading, gave him light remarks, gave her a warm sensation. She thought she could get used to this. Having friends. It felt exciting and frightening at the same time. She was scared that she'd be hurt again, or be disappointed by the people she treasured, but somehow, looking at her friends made her think it wasn't possible.

She didn't mind anymore in which house she ended in, but she sincerely hoped to be sorted in the same house as one of these two.

The Sorting Ceremony was going on smoothly, at least it looked like it. As they got closer to the 's' Abby's nerves grew stronger and stronger. She was scared of being alone, of not achieving what she wanted. Of being a failure. Above all she wanted to go high, in all the possible ways. A few minutes ago she had the strong conviction that she would be able to achieve everything she desired, from fame to acceptance, but somehow as Tyler Rivers was called all her confidence had suddenly faded. She looked around and found Lucy looking at her from the Ravenclaw table with an encouraging smile, still with the book in her hands wide open and she also searched for Dylan's face in the Hufflepuff table. Dylan was chatting with some people from his house, which didn't surprise her and she didn't feel hurt or ignored by the lack of attention but hoped to get some kind of signal from him either way. Okay, she felt slightly offended but tried not to think much into it. After all she had only spent a few hours with them.

"Abigail Summers", she heard Headmaster McGonagall say. She gulped her fear and forced some blood to flow through he face and limbs as she slowly but as confident as she could make her strides, walked to the stool where the famous Sorting Hat awaited her.

The hat was placed upon her and immediately she was greeted by an elderly and wise voice which seemed to come from the hat. Abby's eyes widened in a silent screech as the hat chuckled at her scare. Abby sent him the best "shut up" image she could think of. The hat seemed to have gotten her message and proceeded to recite a poem about the Houses. Abby couldn't but think that the hat was taking too much time to get to a decision. Wasn't he supposed to read her thoughts and immediately know where she should go?

"**You are a tricky one, Miss Summers,**_" _the hat answered. "**You have the ambition for Slytherin but also the wit of a Ravenclaw. I'd say you'd be very good in both. But in which will you succeed and rise furher?**_" Aren't you the one supposed to tell me that? Perfect, I've been given the defective magical hat... _The hat just sighed and shouted out loud so that everyone would hear him: SLYTHERIN!


End file.
